Broken
by Simply Hopeless
Summary: The only thing that drew Itachi to Naruto in the first place was the fact that the child seemed broken. But if Itachi somehow manages to heal Naruto's broken heart by taking him in, what will keep it from breaking again when Itachi abandons him. Ita/Naru.


Hello Simply Hopeless with a new story for you. This story turned out totally different from what I had planned earlier. I didn't mean for Itachi to react the way he did when he first met Naruto but it happened and I found it strangely appealing. I mean I always figured Itachi for a bit of a sadist but… meh never mind. I'll leave it for the readers and reviewers to decide if this Itachi and the relationship he forms with Naruto is fascinating or not.

**If I find that this story is not receiving a decent amount of reviews I will first put this story on hiatus and then simply take the story of of all together. There is no real use for me keeping up a story that doesn't recieve reviews and as you can see I have more than enough stories to worry about. Only the most reviewed stories will share my complete attention while occasionally I'll try to update the others. But keep this in mind before you start reading. Also if I find I have more than enough reviews I'll try to update that same week or the following week.**

Well anyway you know I do not own Naruto but this story is still mine. I found the quote below by C.S. Lewis very Itachi like and it tied in nicely into the title of 'broken'. I hope you enjoy the story and review lots.

_**__To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly __**broken**__. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be __**broken**__; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.__"**_

_~C.S. Lewis_

Broken

"Beautiful…"

Dark eyes fastened and greedily drank in the damage body in front of him. It was, all of it, beautiful from the cuts and bruises that littered golden brown skin, to the way the body laid as if a marionette doll had suddenly lost its strings. The soft, rasping breaths were barely audible from between two bloodied lips as the golden haired child slept in oblivion atop grass glistening with dew.

The nine year old Itachi had found the unconscious body after returning from some late night training. The upcoming Chunnin Exam, which was a week away, had drawn him outside the safety of the Uchiha Compound in hopes of sharpening his craft in peace. His shuriken sailed cleanly to each target and the heart of the forest nearly shone with each blast of his fire justu. The evidence of his hard work could clearly be seen from the pockmarked and charred trees that surrounded his private training grounds. And he had forced himself to train until his bones finally ached with the effort.

He was, as was mentioned, only halfway to the Uchiha Compound when he caught a glimmer of gold hidden somewhere in the grass. And drawing closer he soon discovered that the gold was the reflection of a little boy's blonde locks that were both spiky and curly all at the same time. The upturned face revealed scarred, tear stained cheeks that still had not lost their baby fat and thick lashes that shuttered closed lids.

Itachi could already tell that this injured boy could only be around four years old since his little brother was exactly that age now. The older boy carefully categorized the old and new scars as well as monitored to see if the boy would gain consciousness soon. He knew him for the village outcast and monster but when the child looked so vulnerable all he could think of was how exquisite his pain looked and could he possibly be a sadist. 'Probably.'

'Some villagers obviously dragged him out here in the dead of night and beat him until he lost consciousness,' he summarized noticing the rope burns on small, little wrists. 'The older scars attest to pass abuse,' he mused thoughtfully even as he squatted down to lightly brush a spiky curl from the boy's face. He wondered why such a child as this boy would be treated with such neglect and hatred but when he pressed his parents for answer they were close lipped.

'What is the secret to their hatred,' he was dying to know even as he poked and prodded the child. Itachi wanted the boy to wake up and answer his questions since no one else would. The proud genius didn't care if he disturbed what fragile peace the blonde had at the moment. "Wake up little monster," he called out softly, lightly tapping the child's chubby cheek.

Some, warped part of him wondered why he thought this child beautiful. 'Is it because he's broken like this that he's beautiful or is it because he's beautiful that he's now broken?' he mused thoughtfully. Itachi, himself, at many times had felt the burning urge to push and afflict pain on his little brother just to see Sasuke's pretty tears. He had taken pleasure in walking faster than his younger sibling just so that the miniature Uchiha had to cry out for him to wait while trying to run after him without tripping. It gave him pleasure to know that his little brother loved him despite everything, testing their bonds again and again. But he knew that his actions were fleeting because he couldn't truly break his brother. 'They wouldn't let me,' he sighed wistfully.

He played with the blonde's hair before suddenly yanking it. "Wake up," he hissed, only releasing his hold when the poor child's pain eyes flew open. Blue azure swam with fresh tears as small, grubby fingers reached to protect his head. The strange child instinctively curled up in an attempt to make himself smaller even as he looked at his accuser. And Itachi could taste it, the fear, so sweet.

"What's your name kid?" Itachi demanded as he stood up, arms crossed over his chest.

"N… Naruto Uzu… Uzumaki," hiccupped the blonde before wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Slowly the boy sat up when he realized the person in front of him wouldn't attack right away. His entire body was tensed and ready for flight at a moment's notice even as he ventured to shift some to look into the older boy's face. "Wh… what is your name?" he asked hesitantly as if afraid to make the wrong move.

"Itachi Uchiha," the dark haired boy supplied. He was more amused than irritated at this request as he looked at what could be his new interest. "You don't have any family do you?" Itachi asked boldly even as he offered his hand.

"I… know they died, I think," Naruto answered in a trembling voice.

"Take it," Itachi offered and before the boy could protest he grabbed the child's hand. He not so gently yanked the child up even as he, himself stood up. "You're coming with me."

"Why? Where are we going?" Naruto couldn't help but pipe up even as he walked quickly to keep up with the older boy.

"Home," Itachi replied as if that was the only obvious conclusion.

"Home?" the golden child puzzled that world aloud as if it was some new confection that had yet to be tried on his tongue. His brows scrunched together as he tried to picture what a real home might feel like. It would probably be like one of those ones that he spied on from the safety of a shadowed street corner while making sure no one saw him. He had spent many days dreaming of having a home of his own other than the orphanage that didn't care whether he stayed in it or not.

"Yes, my home. You are staying with me," Itachi said impulsively. 'Why not keep the village's dirty, little secret if they can't even find me fit enough to tell,' he mused thoughtfully to himself liking the idea more and more. He looked back at the boy who threatened to trip at any moment as he tried to stumble over himself to keep up.

"Naruto is it?" the boy asked out loud as soon as the came within sight of the Uchiha entrance. He stopped in his tracks and barely even flinched when the smaller boy accidentally bumped into his legs. Itachi just sighed and turned before turning to look at his newest discovery. His fingers deftly moving to tug up the overly large shirt on the boy's bony, little shoulder as he turned.

"Hmm?" Naruto asked slightly puzzled by the fact that they had stopped. He had followed Itachi for the most part like a lost lamb, glad that the older boy had a grip on his hand so that they wouldn't be separated. The idea of a home that he could possibly call his own was worth laying his trust in a complete stranger. And the fact that that person really didn't add to the collection of bruises on his person could only make him a nice person in his eyes.

"How would you like to be my pet?" Itachi said thoughtfully letting go of the boy's hand to thoughtfully tap a finger against his chin.

"Pet?" The misfit cocked his head to the side and worried his bottom lip with his tongue. He had never heard of a human becoming a pet. I mean he saw what pets were. Dogs and cats and things of that ilk but he never saw a human being treated like one. It was odd to say the least for the four year old.

"You'll be part of the family but you'll only belong to me. I'll feed, cloth and protect you and in return you can only remain loyal and love me no matter what," the Uchiha child said firmly. He wasn't going to invite the child in otherwise since he knew his parents would probably blow up at the thought of their precious son inviting in a stray, human thought it may be.

"You will… you will protect me too, no matter what from… from them?" Naruto asked cautiously, hopefully. He fastened on the words of protection not even daring to go back and think of being part of a family just yet. It seemed almost too good for the boy to think it was true. He cautiously looked to the left and right as if some of the villagers would pop out and attack him for falling for one of their traps. 'A pet seems better than what I am right now,' he thought to himself reluctantly.

"Yes, I give my promise as an Uchiha that I will protect you," Itachi swore, sounding sincere.

"Then I am yours. I, Naruto Uzumaki, am Itachi's pet," Naruto said proudly and lifted up his chin as if were some great honor. His big luminous eyes looked up his new protector with awe knowing that with his new master around he would no longer fear to walk through the village.

"Yes, yes you are. Now inside before the others wake up and see you. I want you clean and decent before I break the news to my parents," Itachi sighed heavily, sobering up from his small victory. He quickly reached for the boy's hand again and tugged him forward towards his new home. Determined to keep his new pet despite what anyone said.

A/N: Sorry this is so short, it's a prologue anyway but if this story does well I'll be sure to make the next chapter longer.


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